heckler or superlight ?????

im torn between the two. i demo'd a heckler and loved it. found my body posiion a bit strange going uphill but got used to it as im coming from a 100mm bike, i enjoyed using all the travel of the heckler but theres still a little bit of me that likes an xc race now and again and i think the heckler would be out of place there?

Superlight would be plenty for the riding you are talking about. It would also build up a fair bit lighter with a medium level spec. Get a test ride on one and compare back to back with the Heckler if possible.

Having said that I have done 10 UTB on my Heckler with a fairly light build and it was no problem at all.

Hi mate having come from a superlight to a heckler id have to say superlight im kinda the same type of riding as you (southdowns,wales etc) but i found the superlight great for everything wales, gerneral trail and singletrack was brilliant set up with a 120mm fork at the front. Now the heckler to be fair is great but a differnt beast def slower up hills and for me no faster or slower downhill just that you can hit ruffer lines and get away with bigger drops roots etc. to round off im thinking of trying to get a new superlight and 120mm fork and just build one up then see which one i wanna keep heckler or superlight! might add that since getting a new cotic bfe ive only riden the heckler once and that has been 3 months loving that frame/bike and there pretty much the same head angles etc (68deg).

Was in the same position with a Turner flux vs 5spot decision. Went for the 5 spot and now wish I'd gone for the flux. I now find myself using my alfined hardtail on stuff where I would have chosen a flux if I'd had it instead. The upside is I am more comfortable with alpine style riding on the 5 spot than I would have been on the flux but this represents a tiny proportion of my riding.

Go for the Superlite.Ive got both and the SL gets pulled out for most rides.The new frames handle just about anything short of large drop offs or mega steep stuffIm my opinion its a very underated bike

Why are you not looking at the Blur LT or the Nickel? Both fit in between the Superlight and the Heckler for intended use. The Blur is VPP so more expensive and climbs well - pretty burly but not as much as the Heckler. The Nickel is sort of single pivot and designed for a 120mm fork but will take a 140mm

Check out the current issue of ST where they review a few 120/100mm bikes. Also, Sim's long term test bike is a 120/100mm Commencal Super Carbon thingy-ma-jig. Worth a read.

I've been riding a Commencal Super 4 which originally had 100m at both ends. I changed the front to a 120mm maxle fork and love it. It's perfect for a smooth rider who likes to pick his lines like myself. I ride it everywhere and for everything. Sometimes I ride with XC racers and sometimes with radcore, energy drink drinking hucksters and have a good laugh wherever I am. I think for enduro, 10 under and red/black trails it's great. I'm sure most people that do your sort of riding would be happy with a bike between 100 and 150mm but only extended saddle time can tell you what's better for you.